Lithuanian Liberal Leader: Tsikhanouskaya's move to Poland is a loss for Lithuania
"When Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited various capitals, she always expressed gratitude to Lithuania and emphasized Lithuania's importance as a key partner in the struggle for democracy."
Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen. Photo: Cmilyte / Facebook
Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, leader of the Liberal Movement, stated that Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's decision to move to Poland is a significant loss for Lithuania. The politician emphasized that responsibility for this lies with Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė, as, according to the liberals, it was the Prime Minister's conscious decision to reduce Tsikhanouskaya's security level that led to this step.
"I believe this is a loss. And I have reasons to think so. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya might not have been as visible in Lithuania itself as expected, but she was, and I have no doubt remains, an important ambassador for the Belarusian opposition and civil society around the world. She is a politician and leader who is welcomed by the heads of all the largest and smaller states — Lithuania's allies," Čmilytė-Nielsen said, as reported by LRT.
"When Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited various capitals and spoke about her country, (...) she always expressed gratitude to Lithuania and emphasized Lithuania's importance as a key partner in the struggle for democracy," she noted.
The politician believes that the current government and its head, Inga Ruginienė, are responsible for Tsikhanouskaya's decision.
"It was a truly conscious decision — to reduce the level of security, to send a signal to Alyaksandr Lukashenka's regime (...) that we don't value this and that it would be more convenient for us if she left. In my opinion, this is a loss for us, if we speak exclusively about our interests. And, unfortunately, in the context of international politics, Lithuania is increasingly turning into a province and losing important leverage," Čmilytė-Nielsen stated.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė had previously noted that she saw "neither benefit nor loss" in this move.
Lithuania decided to reduce Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's physical security in autumn 2025. Her security was transferred from the State Security Department to the Criminal Police Bureau.
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Comments
Цяпер будзе выказваць падзякі Польшчы і пра Летуву ўсе забудуцца? У гэтым праблема?
Таму што, мяркую, самазадаволеная і абмежаваная, а, значыць, сама невыгадная для краіны.